The Irish standard., 1887-09-03
Fifty YEARS A BISHOP
Brief Biographical Notes on the
Late Archbishop of Gin
cinnati,
THE MOST REV. DR.. PURCELL.
A Leaf From the Early History Of the
Church in the Mississippi
Valley.

land, was born at Mallow, County
Cork, February 26, 1900. After com
pleting collegiate course in his native
country he set out for the United States
landing at Baltimore in his 18th year.
For short time he held position as
private tutor, but, desirous of devoting
himself to the priesthood, he entered
Mount st. Mary's College, at Emmets-
burg, Maryland. Showing talent much
above the ordinary, he was sent to the
famous Sulpician Seminary, Paris, to
complete his theological studies, where
also he was ordained priest, May %,
1926. Shortly after his ordination he
returned to the United States, and was
appointed president and one of the pro-
fessors of Mount St. Mary's College, of
which he was an almnus. For seven
years he held this important position
with much success, when the Holy See
appointed him successor to the Ia
mented Bishop Fenwick, as second
bishop of Cincinnati. AS such he was
consecrated in his S4th year, at Balti-
more, by Archbishop Whitfield, Octo-
ber 13, 1885, After attending the Sec
ond provincial council of Baltimore,
held few days after his conservation,
he set out for Cincinnati, arriving there
November IA, 1888. In his episcopal
city he found but one church, a college
in embry (the Athen@um on Sycamore
street) and an orphan asylum. His
diocese comprised the whole of Ohio
and part of Kentucky. In Ohio there
were at this time but sixteen churches.
attended by fourteen priests, a Domini-
can convent in Perry county and a
Catholic population estimated at about
5000 souls Within the limits of the
present diocese of Cleveland-wlth
which this sketch will chiefly deal, so
far as the labors OF Bishop Purcell
are concerned-were but four churches,
viz, one near Dungannon, and one
each in Canton. Tiffin and McCutchen-
Vile. These churches were attended
by two priests, Rev. J. M. Henni and
Edmund Quinn, stationed, respectively
at Canton and Tifin. To visit his scat
tered flock Bishop Purcell had not the
convenience of travel now enjoyed, nor
the hospitality now offered. On coun-
try wagons, by stage coach and on
horseback he covered great distances
over bad roads, through primeval for
ests and across unbridged streams,
often partaking of primitive country
hotel fare and often taking shelter in
log huts. But in spite of difficulties,
hardships and frequent privations he
cheerfully and often made his dio-
cesar visitations, instructing, consoling
and encouraging the faithful committed
to his charge. His episcopal visits
were always red-letter days for clergy
and laity. His cheerful disposition and
buoyant spirit spread sunshine and JOY
wherever he went, and his sermons at
tracted by their brilliancy and elo-
Quence. His first visit to northern
Ohio was made during the months of
June aud July, 1884, viz, Dungannon,
Canton, Louisville, Canal Fulton,
Chippewa (Doylestown,) Wooster, Tiff
fin and McCutchenville. During the
months of July, August and September
he visited Dungannon, New Lisbon,
Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Randolph,
Louisville and Canton, and in 1886,
Tifin and Fremont. June Z, 1910, he
dedicated at Cleveland the Church of
Our Lady of the Lake, known later and
since as st. Mary's on the "Flats.' y
During the same month he also visited
Liverpool, Chippewa. Canton and East
Liverpool. November of the same
year he again came to northern Ohio,
visiting Findlay. Glandorf and Fort
Jennings. In lS41, during the months
of June, July, August and November,
he made an extensive tour throughout
northern Ohio, visiting the following
places: Norwalk, Peru, Shelby,
Settlement, Tifin, McCutchenville,
VOLTS Creek (New Riegel,) Sandusky,
Fremont, LaPrairie, Perrysburg, Toll
edo, Canton, Louisville, Randolf, Ak
ron, Chippewa, Wooster, Canal Fulton,
Massillon and Bethlehem. In all these
places he administrated confirmation,
and in many he dedicated churches or
laid corner stones for such. In June
..5 1n1u 7Qd6 no vicifa6 Son1nokv